The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1887-06-23

1HE LIDS liiCA W COITSSI
the misapprehension of The Lake Shore
Times with reference to the estimation in
which the former holds the survivors of
the union army. The soldiers of the
union army are entitled to the fullest
measure of the peoples gratitude, and
The Pilot does not grudge them one whit
of what is their due Those who are in
need should receive assistance from the
general government. Not in the shape
of an offensive gratuity but as something
earned by service as attested by impaired
health. The declining years of all the
soldiers should be relieved of all anxiety
by knowing that the government is ready
to interpose when they are threatened
by want.
Now there is nothing like hostility in
this toward old soldiers. The Times dis
parages its own charge of hostility to old
soldiers on the part of the editor of this
paper when it refers to his gallant friend
General Bragg" Bragg certainly was
gallant" and The Times knowingly mis-
quotes him when it says he charged that
all the union soldiers were coffee cool
ers," dead beats" and ''scum of the earth"
What Bragg said was that those who
were such as are tittingly described by
the terms used, were not entitled to pen
sions which the law vetoed by President
Cleveland, would give. He was ready to
vote for and support bill which would
pension the soldiers, but not one which
would not discriminate between the
worthy soldiers and the coffee coolers"
etc. There cannot be much treason in
that. Not bit more than there is hos
tility in The Pilots denouncing the pro-
fessional soldiers who are seeking politi-
cal advancement and using the Grand
Army as lever. Will The Times deny
that such has been the case with Phil
Cheek? VIII it deny that Fairchilds
devotion to army comrades has been
greatly intensified by his political ambi-
tons? The Pilot has perfect contempt
for soldiers of that class and it cannot
help expressing surprise that the old sol
is being used by these demagogues. You
should aid in kicking them, Mr.. Ander-
son, not in furthering their personal
schemes. You should not misrepresent
General Bragg and do it wilfully as you
have done because you must have read
his speech. You should not misrepresent
President Cleveland by stating that only
rebel flags captured by the union army
were to be returned to original owners
and that the STARRY flags of the nation
which fell into the hands of the enemy
are to remain in the southern state capt.
tails to be exhibited to the youth of the
south as evidences of southern proWess
and southern victory over the Yankees. -
You knew better or else you wrote your
editorial without having given the sub
iect the examination which candor and
desire to do justice should suggest
Your devotion to your party should not
drive you to such glazing disregard for
unimpeachable facts.
The fact is. and it is just as well that
it be recognized, the war is over and every
democrat as well as every republican is
personally interested in preserving the
union and sustaining law. Self-interest
is bond more strong than sentimental
patriotism, that the government shall be
preserved. 1t is all nonsense to assert
that republicans are patriotic and demo-
Gratis disloyal. Each one VII be just
what his interests make him. Let us
have little common sense injected into
our patriotic frenzy. Fairchild has no
more interest in the perpetuity of this
nation than any other man, having equal
interests which would be ieopardized by
discord and disunion, and he is simply
an actor with the voters for an audience
when he INDUCES in his delirum of pat
rlOtiSm.